Welcome To My Life
by Melface
Summary: [Story discontinued. Account no longer in use.]
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Di-Gata Defenders. Just the story plot.  
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The closing credits to Di-Gata appeared, and I shut off the TV. Sigh, another episode over. But it was 7:00, it'd be back on at 9:30, and I'd watch it again. Jumping over the back of the couch, I had one foot on the stairs, when I heard a wierd sound behind me.

A green rectangle with bright green flames was sitting horizontally in the middle of my basement. My first instinct was to rush up the stairs and grab the fire extinguisher at the top. But then something even wierder happened: six people, four my age and two a few years younger fell out onto the cement floor, landing in a pile, the green rectangle disappearing.

I froze up, watching as the five untangled themselves, getting to their feet. A girl with silver-blue hair was the first to notice me. Her eyes widened, and she nudged the dark-haired boy next to her.

My eyes were the next to widen. I knew these people. "Oh my gosh . . . are you kidding me?" I muttered. I vaulted back over the couch, landing in front of the girl.

The boy she'd nudged stepped forward. "Hi. Can you help us? We're -"

"The Di-Gata Defenders. Yeah. I know," I answered. He blinked at me. "You're Seth," I turned to the girl beside me. "Mel, Kara, Erik, Rion and Adam." I said, looking at each in turn.

All of them looked at me like I'd grown an extra head.

"You know who we are?" Mel said incredulously. I nodded solemnly.

"Uh-huh. Most of the people I talk to know you too."

"Where are we anyway?" Kara asked, looking around.

"My basement," I answered. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

They all exchanged glances. "It's . . . a little complicated," Erik said evasively.

"Hello, of course it's complicated!" I said. "You guys just poofed out of nowhere into my basement. What's not wierd about that? Now do you mind telling me what's going on before I really start getting freaked out?"

"Long story short," Seth said, "We've got major trouble on our end. Seems that word of our trying to re-cast the Spell of Binding got out, and there are some pretty ticked-off people back in RaDos. Alnar told us he'd send us somewhere to lie low for a while." He looked around once. "And apparently, this is it."

Adam spoke for the first time since landing on my basement floor. "You said that people here know us. How?"

I walked over to the TV, turned it on, the pushed the 'Power' button on the VCR. "Watch," I said. I hit 'Play.'

An image appeared of Seth, a carapace of rock across his chest, his right arm encased in stone. Several tanks rolled past him, seeming not to notice he was standing there. After they had passed, he turned to watch them, a rather puzzled look on his face. I pressed 'Stop' and turned the VCR off, turning back to the Defenders.

Seth was standing perfectly still, the others all obviously trying not to laugh. He looked at Mel, who was standing beside him, her mouth covered with her left hand.

"What?"

"S-sorry, it's just . . . " she paused, fighting back a giggle. "The look on your face . . . ."

Seth looked back at me. I shrugged.

¤

Erik was staring over my shoulder at the computer screen, fascinated. I looked up as a knock sounded at the computer room door, while his eyes remained glued to the screen. Seth and Mel were watching the redheaded boy with concern.

"Is he okay?" Mel asked, stepping inside the room.

Erik straightened up, grinning. "Have you _seen_ this thing? It's like a miniature knowledge pillar!"

Seth glanced at the computer screen. The window that was currently open was one of the Di-Gata Defenders Forums, someplace I lost myself in every day after school. He leaned on the back of the computer chair.

"This is how people know about us?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yep. As I said before, you're pretty popular."

Mel glanced at the top of the screen. "Melosa16?" she asked. "Who's that?"

I looked up at her, a little sheepish. "That's me," I said. "I hope it's okay that I used your name."

She grinned. "Are you kidding? It's really cool!" Her eyes widened as she saw her name repeated other places. "Melosa55, 100Melosa001, melosa77, melosatay . . . whoa."

Seth was similarly reading all those who had used his name on the site. "Wow . . . ."

I looked out the window as a purple car pulled into the driveway. (Yes, I drive a purple car!) "Oh no."

"What is it?" Erik said, following my gaze.

"That's my mom! She's home early!" My parents had driven separate to a meeting in town, leaving me home alone, but now mom was pulling in, and dad wouldn't be far behind.

"Where are the others?" I said, turning to Seth.

"Downstairs," he said, confused.

"Come on, we've got to go!" I led the way out of the room and through the hallway, then down the stairs. I heard the door open just as Mel's foot disappeared around the corner.

"Hi Mom!" I hollered. Mom said something back but I was already turning back to the others.

"Okay, whatever you do, don't let my parents see you," I said quietly.

"Uh, aren't they going to start wondering if they hear yout alking to yourself?" Rion pionted out. I shook my head.

"They're used to it." My eyes widened as I remembered something.

"What is it?" Kara said, looking at me curiously.

"I just realized: How the heck am I going to explain this to people at school tomorrow?"

¤

Luckily, I was able to secure the car for the next morning. I made sure Mom wasn't watching as I strapped myself in. The Defenders had set off west on foot along the road twenty minutes ago. I'd meet them at the corner.

I pulled out of my driveway, and headed for the highway. That's the nice thing about living in the country. No neighbours to question what on earth six people dressed strangely were doing walking along the street at ten after seven in the morning.

I stopped at the corner, and everyone piled in. Adam claimed front seat, Seth, Mel, and Erik getting in the back. Rion and Kara, being the smallest, squeezed down onto the back seat's floor.

"Sorry I couldn't have taken the other car," I said as we started off again. "It seats seven, but I'm not insured on it."

"Never mind that," Kara said, "Just get us there fast."

¤

I pulled into the school parking lot, and parked right outside the Drama room door. Clipping my keys to my belt loop, I got out and knocked. The door was opened by my friend Evan.

"Evan, thanks goodness. Listen, can you hold the door for a sec?"

"Sure," she answered. "What's up? You look all stressed."

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder toward my car. Evan's eyes widened as she watched the Defenders climb out.

"Are those -?"

"Uh-huh," I nodded.

She grinned at me uncertainly as they walked over. "Okay, nice one. That's hilarious, really."

I looked back at her solemnly. "Evan. I'm serious. I'll prove it." Turning around, I stepped over to Mel, whispered something to her.

She raised her left hand, and a blue ball of energy formed around it. I hadn't thought Evan's eyes could widen any further. They did, her mouth dropping open for good measure.

"Wow . . . "

"Yeah, I know," I said impatiently. "Do you mind letting us get inside?


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Di-Gata Defenders, just my story plot, which is based around my life. I won't say no stealing, because I have no life to steal! lol!  
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We all sat on the stage, curtains closed. Evan was still dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events.

"So you're really the Di-Gata Defenders?" she asked. They all nodded. She turned to Mel. "What exactly can your powers do?"

For answer, Mel flicked one of her fingers over her shoulder. The tormentor curtain behind her immediately froze solid with ice. Evan grinned.

"Can you freeze people with that?"

"Yeah," Mel answered cautiously. "Why?"

Evan shrugged innocently. "Just wondering." Everyone looked up as a click was heard. The door to the stage had closed as someone entered. A girl with light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail came around the frozen tormentor, looking at it strangely. She came around to me and gave me a hug.

"Kitty,"

"Mrow," I answered. This was a morning ritual we'd developed over the year. Every Defender was looking at me wierd.

"Sorry," I said, smiling. "My designation is the Drama Room Cat, because of my tendency to curl up on top of the piano in the mornings."

"Right . . . " Adam muttered.

"Who are these guys?" the new gril asked.

"Oh, sorry. Everyone, this is my friend Amanda. Amanda, meet the Di-Gata Defenders."

Amanda's reaction was equivalent to Evan's, down to the eye-widening and jaw-dropping. "Say what?" she said, staring down at me in shock.

I shrugged. "They poofed into my basement last night," I said, as if that explained it all. "Now the only question is what do with them during my exam today."

"What exam?" Rion asked, tilting his head to one side.

"Jazz," I answered. "It's so easy. I'll be back once the hour is up, no sweat."

Evan turned to me. "I don't have an exam today. Want me to stay with them?"

I turned to the others. "Do you guys mind?" They all shook their heads.

"Okay, if anyone asks, you guys are family from out of town," I said, standing. "I was supposed to show you around the school, and my mom would pick you up before my exam. But she had car trouble on the way here, so she doesn't know how long she'll be. That work?"

Amanda stopped me. "Wait a second . . . how long are they here for?"

"There's been trouble, concerning us, back in RaDos," Mel said. "Alnar told us to stay here until it dies down."

The PA system beeped. "Attention all students writing exams today," the secretary's voice said. "Please go to your exam classrooms now. Thank you."

I waved to the Defenders. "I'll see you guys in an hour."

¤

No sooner was their host out the door, when Evan turned to Mel.

"Okay, so there's this really annoying kid that goes to this school. Do you think you could freeze him for me?"

Mel gave her a worried look. "Uh, no . . . I -"

"Aww, come on, Mel," Adam said, getting to his feet. "You're always threatening to freeze me to a tree. What's so different about this?"

"That fact that you deserve it," Mel shot back casually.

I opened the door to the stage, trudged across to the others, spun once, then fell flat on my back.

"Too . . . much . . . music," I groaned, pressing my palms to the sides of my head. "Head . . . imploding . . . "

Evan poked me in the side, and I squeaked. Quiet snickers came from Adam's direction. I glared up at Evan who was grinning innocently, dark hair falling into her eyes.

"Sorry," she said, shrugging.

"No, you're not."

"You're right. I'm not."

The door to the stage opened again, a tall guy with dark-blond hair and glasses stepping through. He blinked once in surprise as he caught sight of the Defenders.

I raised my head. "Hey Joey. What'd you think of the Jazz exam?"

He shrugged, sitting down on the other side of Seth. "Easy."

I belatedly noticed the Defenders looking at me expectantly, and did some fast thinking. Joey was a fellow Drama Geek. He could be trusted.

"Sorry. Everyone, I'd like you to meet another friend of mine; Joey. Joey, these are the Di-Gata Defenders."

He gave me a confused look. "The who?" Oh yeah. He was one of the few people who didn't know about my obsession.

I explained who the random people sitting on the stage were, and what they were doing there as quickly as I could.

Eyebrows raised slightly, he turned to look at the Defenders. "Is she serious?" Apparently six nods weren't enough proof, because he reached across to check if I had a fever.

"So now the only question is how long we're going to be here," Erik said, glancing around at the others.

"And how long you can keep up hidden from your parents," Rion added, looking at me.

"Yeah," I muttered, eyes shifting to the left. "There's always that obstacle, isn't there."

Meanwhile, Seth was explaining the logic of stonecasting to Joey, Mel watching.

"If you want, I could teach you," he finished, tucking the Warrior Stone he'd shown back into his holster.

Joey, always one for combat techniques, nodded. "Okay." He, Seth and Mel stood, moving toward the door.

"I'm coming with you," Mel muttered to Seth. "I have a feeling you might be needing supervision."


	3. Chapter 3

do not own Di-Gata Defenders, just the story plot, and maybe my friends. Yeah, that's right guys, I OWN you! lol!  
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The door opened yet again, and a tall, dark-haired boy walked in. Swinging his backpack down to the floor, he adjusted his glasses. 

"Hey, there's people here," he said, looking around at everyone.

"Nah, we're a bunch of talking monkeys," Amanda said from her spot.

"Oh. Well you're a pretty quiet bunch of talking monkeys," the boy said, pulling up a chair.

"Sorry. We're trying to think of the best way to defeat an Ethos," I said, staring off into space. "I'm the only one out of us who's watched Di-Gata, I've been explaining what they look like."

Adam shivered. "So we're facing a bunch of slimy, dripping, tentacled vampire things with lots of teeth. And I thought Wizards were bad enough . . . "

"I heard that!" Mel shouted from the Drama room. Adam had forgotten that they'd left the door through to there open.

"Have you frozen Ben yet?" Evan hollered. Silence. The new boy raised a hand.

"The Chair recognizes Reg," I said, turning to look at him.

"Thanks. Do you mind telling me what the heck is going on here?" he said. "Who are these people?" 

Seth, Mel, and Joey came back in from the Drama room at that point, Seth now sporting a bruise on left side of his face, near the jawline.

"Everyone, this is Reg. Reg, these are the Di-Gata Defenders." He blinked at me. "Cartoon obsession. The ones I'm always writing fanfics about."

"Oh, right."

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you."

"Not a clue."

¤

Seth was sitting perfectly still on a chair, Mel beside him, a hand engulfed in blue-white flame pressed to the bruise. Evan was watching.

"What exactly are you doing?" she asked. "Aren't you going to burn his skin off?"

"These flames are cold," Mel explained. "It'll help bring down the swelling."

"What happened in there anyway?" I asked from my vantage point on top of a costume wardrobe that had been moved out on stage so the Drama room could be cleaned.

Mel fought back a smile. "Seth accidentally got knocked backward into the chalkboard and hit the ledge on the way down. Hard."

Amanda winced. "Ooh. That's got to hurt."

"You don't know the half of it," Seth said from between clenched teeth. 

"It was kind of like watching you fight Nazmul, except in reverse," Mel mused, keeping her hand pressed to the bruise.

"Nazmul?" Reg asked. "I just came from the office, there were two people in there using that name."

Simultaneously, everyone turned to look at him.

He looked around at the shocked faces around him. "What?"

"What did these people look like?" Rion asked getting to his feet. 

Reg shrugged. "They were creeping the secretary out, whoever they were. The voices alone were wierd enough."

"What did they look like?" Rion repeated, more forcefully.

"Dark robes . . . they had tentacles instead of fingers . . . and they were dripping, too -"

"That's them!" Rion said, starting for the door. "That's the Ethos emissaries!"

Erik reached out, catching the younger boy by the collar. "Hold on, you can't go starting a battle in the middle of the school! People are going to start wondering what the heck is going on."

Everyone turned as the stage door opened again. Each Defender reached automatically for their stones as someone stepped onto the stage. A shifty-looking skinny boy looked around at all the people staring in his direction.

"What?"

Evan and I exchanged looks. Ben Davies, Mr. Annoying himself, had arrived. Evan turned to Mel.

"Are you _sure_ you can't freeze him?" she whispered.

"Hey, you guys aren't going to believe this," Ben said, walking over to the group. "There are these really wierd people heading this way. They're wearing these wierd Hallowe'en masks and costumes, and dripping all over the place. The janitor's going to freak out -"

My eyes widened. "They're coming _here_?" I said, looking over at the other Defenders. Everyone was shocked. 

"Yeah, I saw them coming down the -" he broke off as everyone stood together, and headed for the Drama room, Adam catching Ben's collar and dragging him along.

"Come on, we can't have you spilling where we are."

¤

We heard the door to the stage close, and immediately started out the Drama room door, into the hallway. Sure enough, there were little puddles of water everywhere. And it _stunk_.

"Come on," I said quietly, beckoning with my hand. "We'll head up to third floor. No one is ever up there during exams."

We climbed the stairs, breaking into a quiet run when there was a howling sound from the stage area. We made it to the top, pausing to listen. No sounds of pursuit, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.

Seth turned to me. "Is there any other way to get up here?"

"Another set of stairs at the other end of the hall, and an elevator, but you need a key to work it."

"Okay," he said, glancing back dwn the stairs. "Erik: Take the others with you, shut down the elevator. Mel, Kara: guard the other stairway, make sure nothing gets up here. Adam, Rion, and I will stay here and guard this one."

We all split up, the others and I taking Erik to the elevator, while the other three guys stayed behind on the landing at the top of the stairs.

I showed Mel and Kara to the other flight of stairs, the one that led down to the Music room.

"Be careful," I said before heading back to the others. I crouched down beside Mel. "When you get the chance, try and freeze Ben Davies, will you?"

She grinned. "I'll see what I can do."


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Di-Gata Defenders, just my story plot.   
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Everything was quiet, except for little whirrings as Erik worked on the elevator.

"Okay," he said, standing. "Everything has been put into temporary standby."

Rion appeared, glancing back over his shoulder. "We've got someone coming up the stairs on our end."

"Same," Kara said, sticking her head around the corner. "If it's the Ethos, what -" She was interrupted by two flashes of light; a blue one from behind her, and red from Seth and Adam's stairwell.

Rion headed back to the other boys to help, and I followed Kara. I came around the corner, just in time to see her cast at an unseen person.

"Tornado!" There was a yell, and I ducked as a boy with dark-blond hair flew over my head, skidding on the floor.

The boy stood, brushing himself off, and glared at Kara. "What was that for . . . ." He stopped when he caught sight of Mel. He looked at me . . . and burst out laughing.

"You've got to be kidding!" he said, grinning. He looked up at me again

"Which one is she?" he asked, gesturing to Kara.

"That's Kara," I said, smiling slightly. "You've just been trounced by a girl." Turning back to Mel and Kara, I shrugged. "He's a friend of mine."

"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON???"

Everyone turned to look at the boy between Seth and Adam.

"Allan?" I said. Allan had ropes of silvery light wrapped around him: Adam's Black Bola attack.

"Erm, Adam? You can let him go. He's another one of my friends." 

"You still haven't answered my question," Allan said as Adam's spell vanished, freeing him.

"Everyone, this is Allan, and Wilko," I said, indicating the dark-blond boy beside me. "Guys, these are the Di-Gata Defenders."

"Ssh. Listen," Reg hissed.

There was a faint sound, sure enough. It sounded like wind . . . forget wind, that was someone _breathing_.

Mel ducked around the corner, heading for the group, blue eyes worried. "Ethos," she said, jerking a thumb over her shoulder. 

Rion came in from the other staircase. "Ethos on the other stairs too," he said, eyes looking determined.

Seth looked around. All the classrooms on the floor were locked, but . . . "Erik, start up the elevator again." The redheaded boy nodded, and knelt in front of the controls.

The rest of us waited, listening as the sounds of breathing got louder. The door to the elevator opened, and the thirteen of us squished inside, the door closing.

"That has got to be the most freakish thing in the world," Ben Davies' voice said. "The second I'm off this elevator, I am going to get out of here. Do you have any idea what those things might do when they catch up with us? They'll -"

There was a flash of blue light, and Ben shut up at last.

"Nice one, Mel," Seth said, grinning, from the sound of it.

"Why? What'd she do?" Reg asked, trying to get a look at Ben.

"Froze his mouth shut," Evan said, happily. "Took you long enough, Mel."

"What's an Ethos?" I heard Wilko ask, from right beside my ear.

"Remember those wierd vampire-things I was telling you about the other day?"

"Yeah?" 

"_That's_ an Ethos," I said. The elevator stopped on the second floor, and Erik opened the door. All the mushed together people in the elevator fell out into the hall, landing in a pile.

The breathing sounded again, much closer this time. Everyone looked up to see one of the Emissaries gliding down the hall towards us.

"Actually, Wilko . . . _that_ is an Ethos," I said as we all got to our feet. The vampire advanced more slowly now, dripping puddles of oily gray water onto the floor.

"We meet at last, Defenders," it grated out in a gravelly voice. "Finally, we may have you for our sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?" Mel said, slightly taken aback.

I nodded. "Yeah. So that every Ethos can get into the Realm."

"Oh, well isn't that cheery," she said sarcastically. She looked at Seth. "May I?"

He shrugged, keeping a wary eye on the Emissary. "Go for it." 

Mel stepped out in front, hands together at chest height, eyes closed. The Ethos lunged forward.

"Yanis, Sum, Altas!"

The vampire-thing went flying backward, hit by a stream of blue-white energy. Hitting a wall, the Ethos froze solid with ice as the spell made contact. Mel went toward the vampire-sicle to make sure he was well and truly frozen.

But it wasn't over. More whispery breathing was heard up and down the halls. As the Emissaries converged on the spot. Luckily, there were plenty of places to hide.

"Everyone, into one of the lockers," Joey said. All Defenders and students immediately obliged . . . except one.

Mel, slightly distracted by the first successful encounter with the new enemy of her world, felt herself dragged backward by the collar. She barely had time to close the door of the locker before the Ethos entered the hallway. "Thanks," she muttered as quietly as possible.

"No problem," Seth's voice said from behind her.

"They are travelling with a Wizard," a gravelly Ethos voice said from just outside the locker. "Viers warned us as such. We will have to be more vigilant in the future."

A different voice, one that sounded more commanding, spoke. "Remember what we are here for. We need the Defenders in order to complete the Portal. Make sure you take them alive."

The sounds of breathing faded and disappeared. Inside the locker, the Defender's leader and his informal second-in-command exchanged a look. This was going to be a long day.


End file.
